The+Turtle



 __ The Turtle __

- Since turtles carry a hard outer shell that is used for protection, it acts as their home or shelter. The immigrants that traveled to California had to carry all their belongings from their home on their backs. This creates a strong, symbolic connection between turtles and immigrants, due to the fact that both parties had to carry their belongings. This also emphasizes the long, hard travel.


 * "And over the grass at the roadside a land turtle crawled, turning aside for nothing, dragging his high-domed shell over the grass. His hard legs and yellow-nailed feet threshed slowly through the grass, not really walking, but boosting and dragging his shell along. The barley beards slid off his shell, and the clover burrs fell on him and rolled to the ground," (Pg. 14).

- Another connection between the turtle and The Grapes of Wrath, is when the turtle is run over by the car. This also exemplifies the treatment of the immigrants once arriving to California. The immigrants were discriminated against by mainly the middle class; however, there were some citizens that accepted the immigrants and treated them fairly.


 * "And now a light truck approached, and as it came near, the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it. His front wheel struck the edge of the shell, flipped the tutle like a tiddly-wink, spun it like a coin, and rolled it off the highway. The truck went back to its course along the right side. Lying on its back, the turtle was tight in its shell for a long time," (Pg. 15).


 * "A sedan driven by a forty-year-old woman approached. She saw the turtle and swung to the right, off the highway, the wheels screamed and a cloud of dust boiled up. Two wheels lifted for a moment and then settled," (Pg. 15).